New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-01
A CITY HOME.
THE EXPERIENCES OF A HoUsE-HUNTER.
Fourth Pdpe'

the car in which we rode probably thought that ou
relations were or less strained As we sat down
! dine consolation occurred TO and braoed up.
"PFudence, feel that it's only right that we should
treat ourselves to an extra good dinner this evening
organize ourselves into jolly theatre party afterward
In the meantime you will please regard my hat as being
| tossed up'
sYou mean a SPONGE Richard. 1t is the ascending
! sponge that symbolizes despair"
| sNo, don't mean sponge. Imean hat, my hat
I'll toss 1t up and Wen treat ourselves to swell dinner
and to the theatre celebrate the successful close OF
| our hunt for fats
Swhst do you mean, Richard"
swe mean just this. It's always darkest Just before
day What shochngly late hours the man must have
kept that made the dsoovery Consequently just as
people become convinced that there isn't fiat on
the whole Island Of Manhattan that suits them why OF
course they are on the point OF finding fat that
very island which suits them to T. We are feeling
hopeless, from fiat point of view therefore propose
three the radiant prospect that lies just ahead
OF Us. It's always darkest just before light fat
| fancy that this view OF condition had not
occurred to Prudence before The fact of the matter u.s.
| to suffer and be strong easily TO womanind
that they have the quick eye for consolation that
man displays And even that mentioned the
weighty reason why we were committed to being
perfectly hopeful could that she not greatly
eated Still with a smle-it was rather pensive one
agreed celebrate The dinner and the theatre both
Of trouble rolling peaceful breasts.
proverb Hhy quoted, how useful IL is!
Next morning started on. directly after breakfast
to look at some fats No hack this time-we had
discovered that the cheaper and about
venient The high hopefulness born oflowdown hope
lessness sustained u.s. and hour before had
leased fiat" possession given immediately II was
the first that mornings list Two days before we
might have waved It aside not coming up to our
standard AS it by taking tuck in standard 1t
did nicely Wo got at 81 200 children tolerated
dogs barred 1t was further up and further
side Of the and further away from place
Of business and the elevated railroad than
purely ideal fat would have been But then we had
to realize that purely ideal flats scarce In New
York and come mighty high All things considered We
were very well satisfied. Our fat the roof
seven stories up the air good. Each one OF the
nine rooms, with single exception, opened on the
street. the light good The elevator ran no later
than IL p m thus having a tendency to induce my
wifes husband TO keep good hours The plumbing bore
inspection The steam-heating apparatus promised to
bid defiance to the cold The woodwork was handsome
the paper the wall clean and of All agreeable pat
tern The fire escape-but perhaps the least said about
the fire escape the better 1t consisted of cage about as
large the that holds the royal Bengal tiger in the
circus This cage anchored before one OF the bed
room windows and connected with the ground floor Of
the building by of an iron cable The intention
was in time of fire. the occupants of the fiat grace
lively to yell bloody murder until freman-after
satisfying himself that they not the American Flag
proceeded haul them down. pointed out the fire
escape and explained its working to Prudence.
"YOu might well request the anitor to remove IT,,
she remarked In tones that were little acdulated
In case OF this family prefers trust TO be roasted
decorousy rather than to be rescued in ridiculous
cage"
l assured Prudence would tell the jantor that the
cage go and would mention TO him reason for
dispensing with 1t that my wfes motto The guard
dies but never surrenders its dignity" In the after
noon signed the lease. Reader, did You peruse
fat leasel 1t is interesting, it strikes study in
one sidedness. The genius who drafted it evidently
worked with an eye single to the welfare of the landlord
The heroine OF Nothing Wear" explains to her lover
This engagement. you see,
Is binding on you but not binding on me
landlord under Nat lease must feel about that way
Let at few OF the provisions of OF these in
struments. "This lease is granted"-I quote from
printed form which may be obtained at any of the book
stores" upon the express condition that in said
landlord deems Objectionable OF improper conduct the
part of said tenant said landlord shall have full license
and authority TO ener and have full possession OF said
premises" This is well enough. but there is provision
In the lease giving the tenant "fl license and authority
to take French leave Of the premises in he deems
Objectionable improper conduct on the part OF the
landlord Another section provides that the tenant shall
mako good any damage the fiat occurring by
of his neglect careessness but at the time II Is
expressly stipulated, not that the landlord shall
make good" any damage occurring by reason
of his neglect or careles5ness, but that he
shall not be liable for any damage by leak
age of Croton water for any cause Ia any ecenL"
That is to say tenant Injuries landlords fiat he Is 10
be held responsible; but II landlord Injuries his flats
tenant he is not TO be held responsible Truly pleas
ant arrangementfor the landlord the tenant person
ally or by one OF his rrepressble children drives nail
,a xpaIio oil q I'D
mante scratches matches the paper of the paror
he liable under the lease to pay the cost Of repairs
But the elevator fall and break the tenants kneepan
or section Of the ceilings stucco crash down and put
out his eye, the bottom Of the cage give way and
produce compound fracture of his spne and the land
lord instead of being obliged by the Of the lease
pay the tenants doctors undertaken bills COM
plaoeny reflect that it is nominated in the bond that
" he shall not be liable for any cause whatever" /
suspect that the fiat tenant made for the fiat land
lord, not the fat landlord for the fiat tenant.
II is not to be Inferred however from the above OBJ
servations that the agent from whom rented fiat
found 1t very difficult to induce me TO sign the lease
o. no. The fact is that after hasty glance simpyto be
sure that the rent not $4,000 instead Of 81 200
promptly put my signature to IT, After oil the bother
we had had prepared to shut eyes and sign any
thing that might be offered from brthrights renunca
ton to temperance pledge rather than lose that fat
One rainy evening after had been In possession about
my desk Suddenly there issued from my puckered lips
q long, well sustained vigorous whistle.
~whaTs the matter r. said Prudence.
told her that had been taking the opportunity Of
finding out what our lease contained.
"wen, what do you find
"wen find Prudence. that you and and the children
have got to behave ourselves out we CO. think
there's clause prohibiting conundrumsat all events,
don't think it would be prudent for Inc to tell any
MORE II we are suffered 10 occupy these premises until
the end Of the may properly regard ourselves as
of the sparlng mercy Of the landlord o.
tell YOU that under this lease he's got u.s."
EYES, but the getting 10 mutual, sntif suppose by
the terms Of the lease he's got and we've got him It's
poor lease that don't work both ways"
hate to bring pain and sorrow to your gentle heart
Prudence but a. understand this lease the party of the
first part that's the landlord consents TO get and the